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6 month ban from driving and a 12 month ban from the League Cup.

A couple of changes for me I think, and a switch to a straight 4-3-3 - Brill Raven Warren Meekings Shinnie Draper Ross Foran Doran Agdestein Mckay Subs - Esson, Devine, Vincent, Williams, Tremarco, Pepper, Polworth

I think we need to shake things up as well. Esson Foran Draper Williams Polworth Shinnie Doran Brill Watkins McKay Warren My thinking is simple. Brill is brilliant (lol) so he should play in the Shinniesta role. Warren is a beast at giving the ball some beef in the air so he should go up front to partner McKay. Esson returns to goal because he seems like a funny guy and Foran and Draper can protect him by smashing anyone that comes near him. Williams and Shinnie will play the wing back roles because they are fast with Polworth protecting the two CBs and you always need to have a young local lad in the team otherwise it's a well known fact that your side is garbage. Doran remains wide right and Watkins should start because he looked amazing against Clach. Makes sense IMVHO.

First answer: the 'National' BBC appears to be indifferent to anything outside of London (or is it Manchester these days, not sure which bits were moved) so I wouldn't say it was biased. That doesn't mean we get value for money, however. I have plenty of issues in addition to those I already mentioned in post 167: They don't understand that Scotland is a country, not a county, and that distorted triangular-shaped weather map doesn't help. In a generation hardly anybody will know the true shape of Great Britain. I would question whether a public service broadcaster should be mixing it with the likes of Sky. They've just invested £780m to cover the Premierleague for the next 3 years. I can't find how much they're spending on the SPFL but I'd be surprised if its anything like the same per capita, I hardly ever miss MOTD but its not as if the Premierleague needs the money. Really? You need to get out less! Second answer: BBC Scotland bias. I started to think it was strange about a year ago that nearly every night, Ms Bird, Magnusson or Shearer introduced the lead story on Reporting Scotland with the words 'a warning tonight that under Independence, the weather could get worse' or similar. Usually it was a non- story that didn't fit the sensationalist headline, something that the Herald and Scotsman are very good at, but you'd expect better from the BBC. Btw I'm aware that Reporting Scotland led with the pro-Indy story about pensions this week, but that came as a surprise. More typical was the revelation about the £100 fee for writing a YES article the other week, when the much larger (ignored) story was the hacking of YES emails which brought the £100 fee to light. This relentless negativity about YES got me searching online. It seems there's a very cosy relationship between BBC Scotland and the Labour Party (not the Tories or the libdems). I'm on a very slow connection in the Hebrides at the moment so I won't be providing links but there's plenty material out there. Just searching 'bbc warning independence' brings up loads. When you see how much support there is online for independence compared to the mainstream Scottish media you start to wonder: why did the SNP win a majority at the last election when the polls said labour would slaughter them? Are polls just propaganda?

He had nothing else to do last night!

Lets start off looking at it from a positive angle - The last three games have all been away from home. We have conceded two goals in over 270 minutes of play. We have played below par and we have won two and lost the other by a single goal. Many people say that adhering to your best team is the best policy. IF TB had changed things and we had lost to Dungdee he would have been crucified. Every team goes through a dip in form and performance and if that is our dip then I will thankfully accept it. We also appear to have gone through a role reversal where we are more positive and attack minded at home and considerably more defence minded away from home. The home form and style is what people have been demanding fer yonks. Make TCS a fortress and grab the points away from Sneck. I did however feel at Killie - and even at Parkdread- that we could have capitalised on leads by being more positive. But the defensive unit is very solid. From the "personality" perspective TB will NOT change until things start going "wong" - that may be the perspective of some of us but results and points say different. If you had been given top of the SPL and quarter final of the League Cup in pre season you would have laffed. Lets wait to see the Hibees performance.

Poor performance again from us. We started brightly with McKay scoring and sending another effort just over the bar and Nick Ross hitting the post. We seemed to drop deep as the first half went on and let Dundee have more of the ball. They didn't really threaten until just before half time when their forward (didnt' see who) forced Brill into a great save low to his left. The second half went the same way, we played too deep and were hitting long balls into the channels for McKay to chase. This didn't really work and we weren't managing to get Doran or Ross into the game much. Draper was booked in the first half and after that didn't seem as keen to break up play which meant we lost out in midfield. Vincent didn't perform that well again, he seems to try and tear around doing all the jobs, but he should really be concentrating on playing further up the park, pressing the opposition there when we don't have the ball and trying to make things happen when we do. We didn't retain the ball as well as we did earlier in the season and because of that dropped deep and had to hit the ball long. The two players we lost, Andy Shinnie and Tudor-jones, were excellent at retaining possession and I don't think the players we have in midfield now are as good at that, meaning we might end up pushed deeper. Shinnie could also carry the ball very well from deep. The fact that we were missing Gary Warren also impacted us, he is excellent at carrying the ball out of defence for 15-20 yards which helps us play further up the park. Devine is an able player and is a great option but he doesn't give us that. Apparently Butcher wasn't pleased and was heard berating the players afterwards. We'll need to improve against Hibs on Saturday.

Definitely our best opportunity since last season!

----------Brill Brill-Brill-Brill-Brill -------Brill-Brill ----Brill-Brill-Brill --------Mckay

Why do people suggest making sweeping formation and personnel changes to a team that's top of the league? It isn't going to happen! Hopefully Foran and Warren are fit again and we can play the same formation again.

I'm just pleased we are in the next round! To say Dundee were physical is an understatement and the pitch was very slippy which didn't help. As for the ref well he was dire for both teams, Just hope Foran recovers in time for Saturday.

Poor Neil Lennon - got fecked for doing a ton in the morning and fecked by the Ton in the evening.

Someone said to me last night, "What on earth happened to Craig Beattie?" Good question. Still in his 20's, he's resorted to playing for Dundee after failing to score for his last club, Barnet. Played for 10 clubs in the last 6 years since leaving Celtic. Yet back in 2007 he was scoring a vital last minute winning goal for Scotland, sparking wild celebrations in the Yngwie household. I remember this because I became a dad 9 months later!

Match report from the Dee perspective..... Highlanders pip Dee in entertaining cup tie Dundee were pipped by Inverness Caley Thistle 1-0 in a tight and entertaining tussle at Dens Park tonight. An early Billy McKay goal clinched the game for Terry Butcher's Highlanders. However, Dean Brill was the real hero. He proved unbeatable in the visitors' goal and ensured Caley Thistle won a game they could well have lost. John Brown made only two changes to the team that lost to Falkirk. Peter MacDonald and Craig Beattie were given starting spots after coming on as substitutes on Saturday. Steven Doris and Carlo Monti dropped onto the bench. There would have been a third change. Matt Lockwood was listed to start, but a last minute change brought Willie Dyer into the team and James Thomson was promoted to the squad as a substitute. Dundee started well and made some encouraging moves towards the away goal. However, in the 8th minute Caley Thistle showed their ability, ripping Dundee open with their first serious attack. Ross Draper cut into the penalty area from the left and Richie Foran who switched his pass into the path of Billy MCKAY, who finished neatly from 10 yards. Caley Thistle's fast, accurate passing stretched Dundee in the first quarter of the match. The visitors were a cut above anyone the Dark Blues have faced so far this season. Not only were they impressive in possession, their energetic pressing made life difficult for the Dee, who struggled at first to get their passes away quickly enough before being closed down. However, Dundee kept their heads and worked their way into contention. The visitor's defence, with the honourable exception of keeper Brill, was the least impressive part of the team and Dundee looked capable of causing real problems when they got into the final third. Craig Beattie was looking fitter and stronger than in his first couple of matches and had a fine game. Sometimes he was operating as the bustling target man. At other times he was playing clever passes and linking well with the midfield. He and Peter MacDonald are clearly not yet familiar with each other, but there were signs of a promising partnership. Beattie made space well on the right and his cross was missed by the central defence. MacDonald controlled the ball to set up the chance, but fell as he shot and the ball bobbled wide. Caley Thistle responded with a swift attack that nearly brought a second goal. Ross ran onto a Foran pass, held off Irvine and shot across Letheren only to see the ball come off the outside of the far post. As the first half wore on Dundee looked increasingly dangerous. A good move through the middle ended with McAlister's 16 yard shot being deflected for a corner. Next it was Beattie shooting from the same range. Again the ball was deflected, looping up and over the keeper, but unfortunately over the bar too. Caley Thistle were being pegged back, but still looked dangerous when they got out of their own half. Ross sent Shinnie to the byline, but his cross flashed across the goalmouth with no-one on hand to turn it in. Craig Beattie must have been sure he was going to equalise on the stroke of half time. Great play by Conroy and MacDonald set up the chance and Beattie lashed the ball at goal from 15 yards, but Brill lived up to his name with a marvellous save. That was no miss, just a great save. Caley Thistle came close to a second at the start of the second half. Dundee gave the ball away as they broke from defence. Foran's cross was hooked acrobatically by McKay over Letheren and onto the top of the bar. After a slightly nervous opening to the second half the Dark Blues took control. Brill again saved well from MacDonald after Riley had beat his man and cut into the penalty area. A MacDonald 30 yard free kick zipped just wide of the post. Conroy's mishit shot nearly proved a perfect pass for MacDonald, but the striker's lunge couldn't quite connect and turn the ball in. Dundee were now far more aggressive and confident, both in possession and without the ball. Caley Thistle were being hustled into mistakes, and their crisp passing game deserted them. For a while the visitors were lumping the ball anywhere and couldn't Dundee away from their end of the pitch. Winger Nick Ross made a vital contribution on the edge of his own six yard box with a great last ditch tackle as Ryan Conroy was about to shoot. McAlister put in a great run down the left, and his cross was met with a panicky header by Foran that nearly looped over his own keeper, but Brill recovered to save. Caley Thistle's only fluent and dangerous move of the second half ended with Ross cutting in from the right and curling an 18 yard shot a couple of feet too high. The Dark Blues were straight back onto the attack and a clever MacDonald backheel set up Conroy for a clear shot from 15 yards. The midfielder connected perfectly, but Brill again pulled off a magnificent save low to his left. Dundee's last chance came deep into injury time when MacDonald's run and cross from the left caused momentary chaos in the Highlanders' defence, but the loose ball was headed well wide by McAlister. Dundee have stumbled through the early rounds of the cups this season in unconvincing style. Ironically their best cup tie performance was saved for a game they lost. In fact this was probably their best performance of the season. It was certainly night and day compared to Saturday. There was far more energy, pace and determination. Crucially the passing was sharper and more accurate, with the players moving better and more confidently both on and off the ball. The midfield might have consisted of the same four players, but they were far more effective with Riley and Conroy in their familiar wide positions. Let's hope this was the real Dee we saw tonight, and that we see plenty more performances like this! Dundee FC 4-4-2 Letheren Irvine, Gallagher, Davidson, Dyer Riley, McAlister, Rae, Conroy Beattie (Doris 66), MacDonald Unused subs; Twardzik (gk), Thomson, Monti, Boyle Bookings; Beattie (foul on Foran), MacDonald (foul on Ross), Davidson (foul on Draper) Inverness Caley Thistle 4-4-2 Brill Raven, Devine, Meekings, Shinnie Doran (Polwarth 60), Draper, Foran (Agdestein 90+1), Ross Vincent, McKay Unused subs; Esson (gk), Greenhalgh, Tremarco Goal; McKay (8) Bookings; Draper (simulation), Raven (foul on Conroy), Devine (foul on MacDonald) Attendance; 1,682 Referee; Stephen Finnie Report; James Christie

Looking at whats on the table from the lower leagues I wouldnt be thinking of getting to final or even winning a trophy till it happens. All the so called lower teams are Championship and formidable opponents in cup games. It could also turn out that the last eight are SPL + Morton and the run in after the quarters will be tough. Think our best chance is for a home tie against whoever next round.

From the Villa Spurs match. This happened in the box (so to speak) and incredibly no penalty was awarded! Also amused to see that in the match in the English league cup that went to extra time, who should score an extra time winner than Garry Hooper for Norwich! I bet Lennon's on the phone to him now offering his sincere congratulations.

I bet the sponsors love Morton right now

Stats show Celtic having no less than 27 corners to Morton's 2 - and still they lost! A difficult match negotiated by us but also by St J. I think many sides will fancy their chances now and it doesn't matter who we are drawn against, there will be no easy games.

I doubt di Canio could even spell fashist.

Flames

You actually raise another serious questionmark against separation there - which I am sure you will try also to categorise in your so called "Project Fear". But with less than 9% of the BBC's current licence fee revenue, I would be interested to see what kind of service a Scottish equivalent would be able to provide - even if it were to try to raise a few more quid by imposing lots of adverts on viewers of and listeners to... what? The BBC is actually an excellent example of one of the fundamental benefits of the Union - economies of scale. Charles Bannerman is right here about scale and TV service. Firstly looking at scale Scotland would be 116th in the world out of 242 independent countries based on population. But to go with Charles constant assumptions let's just pretend we would not be in the top half of countries in terms of population and say we would be one of the smallest. We don't need to twist figures here, let's just make it up and say we are a small county, it sounds scarier that way. Let's also forget that we have more resources and potential revenue streams than many other countries. If we take that away it is also scarier. Let's also forget that measuring GDP per head of population Scotland would be the 8th wealthiest country in the world, with the UK 17th. It is also beneficial if we don't look at the most prosperous nations of 2012 or the UN human development index which measures standards of living as there are too many small countries on those lists. Let's just pretend they don't exist. As for the TV service he is right here. All the countries, in terms of population, from 161st in the world downwards do not get TV; it is actually banned by the UN. They are only allowed cardboard boxes in their houses where they can pretend they are watching TV. I have actually been to Norway, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Luxemburg and I can confirm that on every channel there is just static. It is also heavily biased static compared to the impartial TV we receive here. Rule Britannia...Scotland doesn't exist.